Smyrna times., 1887-08-10

''Never even seen ouey said his friend.
''Then 1 am happy to say that it is
spectacle can very readily afford yOu.
If you say so will present you to mine"
"GoOd," cried D.; 81 am at this
time alone at home, and very lonely. Let
us not put off until tomorrow what we
can do today;'' and convinced of the wis
dom of this precept he Immediately be-
took himself to the club of his friend, the
merchant, first assuring himself that it
was not the same as that of his friend the
lawyer.
Is it necessary to follow this man, this
fortunate, happy and honorable man,
through all the steps and bypaths that led
him at last to the career of gambler? 1t
is always the same miserable story, the
same resistless fever! But from that mo-
ment mis- life was the life of the damned,
or of the unfortunate wretch taken with
vertigo, who sees the precipice beneath his
feet, yawning to engulf him, but is pushed
on by an invisible and irresistible force.
Two years passed by, and NJ. D. had
thrown away 1900, 600 francs. He was
the owner of two manufactures; one Of
them he was compelled to sell. Still, even
then there was time to have retrieved his
error, but he did not pause; once launched
in the whirlpool of play, nothing could
stop him.
With credit and consideration both inn
paired, the day came at last when it was
necessary to take an account of the situa-
ton, and the unhappy gambler paid a
visit to his banker.
'What money of mine is still in your
hands?'' said he.
''In bills?"
eyes, in bills"
''Fifty thousand francs"
'And in specie?"
''Nothing at all"
Nothing at allg'' cried D., astound-
ed. He had supposed that at least 200,
600, perhaps 800 900 francs, yet remained
to him. Bewildered and staggered like q
drunken man, D. left the bankers
office in a state of mind impossible to de-
scribe. His wife and children were beg
CARED, he himself Il bankrupt!
Gradually, however, his courage re-
turned to him; with 30, 900 francs so, 900,
600, 900 might be gainedl a few days
later he was put in possession of this rem
nant of his fortune, his very last resources.
Did he remember that if this, too, was
lost not even mOrsel of bread could be
bought for mis- childrenY No, not for a
moment! He thought Of nothing save
that with $4,000 francs baccarat could
produce a fortune.
He fairly ran TO the club of which he
was now n member, but cold sweat broke
ont upon his body as he took his seat at
tie table, 1t was the deciding game and
D. knew it. Fortune did not ut first
pronounce either for the player or the
banker. D. would gain little and
lose little, but at the end of an hour he
had won 900 francs. He began to hope
Then by II series of six or eight bad plays
he lost in as many minutes 1000 francs
From that moment all went wrong anG
frightful luck overwhelmed him. In an
other hour only 5000 francs remained tC
him, with the stakes aHgmepting at every
play.
Monsieur" /" said the croupier at last
''the bank only contains 1900 francs. >
! Again they counted the stakes. There
were 6,OOO francs on the two tables. They
retired 1000, and D., frightened to thu
point of not knowing what he was about
distributed the cards mechanically. Tit
table to the left had five and held it
D. had three again. Weak and breath
less he turned his cRrd-it was q cOur
card, or buche, as they call it. This timt
Without saying a word he got up from
I the table and staggered from the room
What was passing in his mind God only
| knew. Suddenly, as he wandered along
the street, hand was laid upon kis arm
D turned and by the light of an adja
cent street lamp saw u man whom he rec
/ Ognized at once as one who occasionally
assumed the place Of the regular croupiel
/ at the club
Monsieur" said the man, II know al
of your misfortunes, and that everything
you possess has been lost in gambling
also that it IS yet possible for you to re
/ gain it,"
"Howg' said D.
/ Very easily. You have lost only be
/ cause you did not know how to play. Il
| cutting the cards that will give YOU
when you take the bank tomorrow, /, OF
! the condition that we divide, will guaran
| tee that you win! Is it understoodr'
/ 81 will answer you tomorrow; l mus
/ have time to reflect, " replied D..
| But when the morrow Icame NJ. D.
was lying with bullet in his brain. H
had at least proved himself to be q mai
of honor from the French o
/ HOgier-GrisOn, for The San Francisc,
| Chronicle, by IL. c. Wagrener